Geranium plant named ‘Fisbeach’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of geranium plant named ‘Fisbeach’, as described and illustrated, and particularly characterized by the combined features of brilliant-red, double flowers, compact inflorescence borne well-above the foliage, fresh-green, slightly crenated foliage without zonation, vigorous growth and well-branched, bushy and uniform plant habit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of geraniumplant, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Fisbeach’.

‘Fisbeach’ is a product of a planned breeding program which had theobjective of creating new geranium cultivars with red-flower color,vigorous growth, and bushy and well-branched plant habit.

‘Fisbeach’ originated from a hybridization made by the inventor,Angelika Utecht, in a controlled breeding program in Galdar, GranCanaria, Spain, in 1992. The female parent was a hybrid seedling,designated No. 361-7 (unpatented), characterized by dark-red, doubleflowers, medium-green, slightly zoned foliage, and vigorous growth butpoorly-branched habit. The male parent was the cultivar ‘Guimo’(unpatented), commercially known as ‘Momo’, characterized by scarlet,single-type flowers, large foliage without zonation, good branchingability and relatively vigorous growth. The zonation on the young leavesof ‘Fisbeach’ is very weak.

‘Fisbeach’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross by the inventor, Angelika Utecht, in 1993 in a controlledenvironment in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Fisbeach’ was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in autumn1993 in a controlled environment in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain, by, orunder the supervision of, Angelika Utecht. Horticultural examination ofplants grown from these cuttings, initiated in May 1996, in Hillscheid,Germany, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that thecombination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Fisbeach’ arefirmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexualreproduction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of ‘Fisbeach’, which in combination distinguishthis geranium as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Brilliant-red, double flowers;

2. Compact, semi-spherically shaped inflorescences;

3. Uniform-green foliage without zonation;

4. Vigorous growth in combination with good branching characteristics;and

5. Early to medium spring flowering response.

‘Fisbeach’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary significantlywith variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity andday length without any change in the genotype. The followingobservations, measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown inHillscheid, Germany, and in Langley, British Columbia, Canada, undergreenhouse conditions which approximate those generally used incommercial practice.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the mostsimilar in comparison to ‘Fisbeach’ is the related variety ‘Fisbea’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,851). In comparison to ‘Fisbea’, ‘Fisbeach’ hasbetter branching characteristics and develops a dense, bushy, uniformlyround plant habit with the inflorescences borne higher above thefoliage. Furthermore, ‘Fisbeach’, in contrast to ‘Fisbea’, shows almostno infusion of anthocyanin on pedicels, sepals or peduncles underoutdoor conditions, and the red flower color is more stable and hardlytends to fade. Additionally, the leaves of ‘Fisbeach’ are moredistinctly crenated at the margin and show slightly stronger waving andlobing of the margin than the leaves of ‘Fisbea’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographic illustration shows typical flower andfoliage characteristics of ‘Fisbeach’ with colors being as true aspossible with an illustration of this type.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The measurements were taken in Langley, British Columbia, Canada, onJun. 15, 1999, 12 weeks after planting of rooted cuttings into 15-cmpots. The plants had not been pinched. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.)Colour Chart. The color values were determined indoors from plantsdeveloped in a greenhouse in May 1999 in Hillscheid, Germany.

Classification:

Botanical.—A hybrid of the species Pelargonium peltatum L'Hérit.

Commercial.—Ivy geranium, cv. ‘Fisbeach’.

Inflorescence:

Umbel.—Shape: Semi-spherical. Average diameter: 77 mm. Average depth: 40mm. Peduncle length: 143 mm. Peduncle color: Light to medium-green, RHS143 B. Pedicel length: 21 mm. Pedicel color: Green RHS 144 A, noinfusion of anthocyanin. Number of flowers per umbel: About 10-12.Lastingness of umbel: Approximately 14-15 days.

Corolla.—Average diameter: 48 mm. Form: Double. Shape: Outline round,many narrow petals, which are not always overlapping, open middle.Number of petals: 18.4. Size of petals: Upper petals 29-31 mm long,15-17 mm wide; lower petals 25-27 mm long, 15-17 mm wide. Shape ofpetals: Upper petals are spatulate, lower petals are obovate, attenuatebase, upper end rounded, margin mainly entire but slightly crenated ordenated at the tip. Number of petaloids: 0-2. Color of petaloids: Upperand lower surface RHS 46 C, with white RHS 155 D to pale pink RHS 56 Aat the base. Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters):Brilliant-red. Color of upper petals: RHS 45 A. Markings of upperpetals: Two weak, blackish veins RHS 187 A, which are dark-violet RHS187 D on the lower surface. Color of lower petals: RHS 45 B. Color oflower surface of petals: RHS 46 C. Color of sepals: Outer surface lightgreen RHS 143 B indoors, reddish RHS 179 A outdoors; inner surface lightgreen RHS 143 B indoors, outdoors RHS 179 B, no infusion of anthocyaninindoors. Number of sepals: 5.

Bud (just before petals unfold).—Shape: Elliptical. Color (sepals):Green, RHS 143 A. Color (petals):Red, RHS 46 B. Length: 14 mm. Width: 9mm. Size of sepals: 15-16 mm long, 4-5 mm wide for the largest uppersepal, 2-3 mm in width for the other sepals. Shape of sepals: Linear tolanceolate, acute tip, base truncate, very weak pubescence, marginentire.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: 5-7 fertile anthers with white to pinkfilaments and yellow-orange pollen RHS 30 A, moderate quantity of pollenproduced. Gynoecium: 5-6 lobed, dark-red-colored stigma RHS 46 A,whitish filament with color varying between RHS 155 D to RHS 56 A, onepistil per flower. Fertility/seed set: No seed set observed.

Spring flowering response period.—In Hillscheid, Germany, in 1999,plants had on average 1.0 flowers opened 12 weeks after planting ofunrooted cuttings.

Outdoor flower production.—Medium to rich flowering, the flower count in1999, in Hillscheid, Germany, indicated about 4.25 inflorescences perplant in mid-May.

Durability.—Good shatter resistance and relatively good rain resistance.

Lastingness of individual bloom.—Approximately 8 days at 18° C.

Fragrance.—None.

Plant:

Foliage.—Shape: Ivy-shaped with cordate, slightly open base andmoderately lobed, slightly glossy surface. Margin: Partly entire,slightly crenated near the tips of the leaves. Texture: Slightly glassysurface. Size of leaf: 96 mm wide, 55 mm long. Color of upper surface:Green, varies between RHS 137 D and RHS 143 A. Color of lower surface:Light-green, RHS 143 B. Color of zonation: RHS 165 A weakly present onyoung leaves. Petiole size: 60-70 mm in length, 2-3 mm in diameter.Petiole color: Light green, RHS 143 C.

General appearance and form.—Internode length: 35-40 mm. Branchingpattern: 14.8 branches. Size of plant/Length of branches: 24 cm (12weeks after planting), 60-70 cm (in early September, 30 weeks afterplanting) as measured from the top of the soil to the tips of thebranches.

Disease/pest resistance/susceptibility: None observed to date.

